Don't all home insurance
price comparison sites give the same results?

No. On a recent test of three
major comparison sites using the same details for a typical family
in a 3-bed semi only 27% of the identical policies, from the same
insurers, were offered at the same prices and excesses (that's the
sum you have to pay in the event of a claim); 23% had the same
prices but different excesses; but 50% had different prices. These
varied from the odd few pounds, right up to a whopping 56% more.

Don't assume that all
policies are equal

All insurers have different
acceptance and pricing criteria so don't assume that you will
automatically get what you asked for when you filled in the form on
the comparison site. There is always a link to the individual
insurers' policy details; check it and make sure that you know what
you're buying before paying.

Remember the cheapest
policy if you pay yearly is not necessarily the cheapest if you pay
monthly

Some people prefer to spread
the cost of their home insurance over monthly payments rather than
have to find the whole sum at once. Nearly all insurers charge
extra for monthly payments, but some charge more than others. You
should be able to see what the deposits, monthly payments and total
payables are; compare these before deciding which policy to buy if you
prefer to pay monthly.

Beware of special offers

The premium may look great
with the current special offer but it may go up substantially next
year (insurance companies make much more profit on renewals than on
new business)

Don't get locked into
automatic renewal

Many insurers will ask you,
'for your own convenience', to agree for an automatic renewal to be
charged against your credit card when your new policy expires. Don't
do it, you may well find a better deal elsewhere.

Conclusion: to get the best deal you need to get quotes from more
than one price comparison site!